Find out Craig Owen's Pre-Show Ritual
and the bands he most likes to tour with!
and the bands he most likes to tour with!
Location: House of Blues Sunset
Los Angeles, CA
Interviewed by: Grayson and Adrian
Video Recorded by: Jessica
Answered by: Craig Owens of Chiodos
Q: How did you guys come together as a band?
A: It's a crazy story actually. In 10th grade, my geometry class I wore a t-shirt. It was a MxPx shirt...a punk rock band, and the bass player in the band now Matt said, "Hey, I like that t shirt. My mom wouldn't let me go to the show." He said, "Oh yeah, you sing right? Maybe we can play together." So, we started Chiodos like 2 weeks later. And, that was it. First band that I started and we actually went by different names. The first name was All Time Low which is kind of funny, and then Second Chance, and then the Chiodos Bros. was the third one.
Q: What made you guys drop the name the Chiodos Bros and change it permanently to Chiodos?
A: Actually, it's the reason that our record label signed us initially...they didn't listen to us. The A&R said it was the worst band name he had ever seen, so he wanted to check it out [our music]. And he ended up loving it, and we decided to sign with Equal Vision. A couple of members left, and we decided to make an evolution of the band. We took out the "Bros" and took out the "The" and just went with Chiodos.
Q: Who's your favorite band to tour with?
A: To tour with?...Ahh that's a tough question. That's a really good question. The thing is there's so many cool people that you meet. There's this band called Less Than Jake. There like the nicest dudes in the world. I love just being around them, and I love watching them perform. There's this band called The Color Morale. They're like the best dudes. I love the guys in The Word Alive. You meet so many cool people, and it's even less about bands I want to watch and more about people I want to hang out with.
Q: Favorite song to perform off of your new album Devil?
A: Right now, 3am for me. 3am because I think life hands you a lot of things, and it takes a lot to get up and really be the best you can. Sometimes it's hard and that's what 3am is about. Its a real reflection of myself...gives me a chance to look in the mirror and be completely honest. Every time I play that song, I feel like I get a little more confident...a little stronger with who I am.
Q: Is there some sort of ritual you guys do before every show?
A: Yeah, I pray before every show. It was like 2 years ago I started doing that, and I have to before every show to get centered. Most of all, to like laugh a little bit, and to be thankful and to really look at what I have as opposed to being swept up in the craziness of it all. So, I pray, and we get together and all of us put our hands on top of each other...and someone gives a little pep talk, count down to 3, and we say Chiodos.
Q: Is there any specific cause that resonates with you?
A: I've been through so much in my life. I grew up in a really emotionally and physically abusive home and that really resonates with me a lot. That makes me want to reach out to people that go through their life not thinking they're good enough because of the way that they were treated. That really resonates with me. I think a lot of it would have to do with self-esteem. Anything I can do to help out... Any sort of lifting people up and letting them [people] appreciate themselves. It's so many little things, addiction, depression, anxiety, all these things formulate from that and I can relate because I went through them. So yeah something to do with self-esteem.
Q: What's your favorite venue to play at?
A: It changes through the years. I really love Chain Reaction in Anaheim because it's really intimate and everybody sings every word. There's no ego, and there's no barricade. It's just like honest rock and you sweat so much. So no one's worried about looking good. I love Chain Reaction.
Los Angeles, CA
Interviewed by: Grayson and Adrian
Video Recorded by: Jessica
Answered by: Craig Owens of Chiodos
Q: How did you guys come together as a band?
A: It's a crazy story actually. In 10th grade, my geometry class I wore a t-shirt. It was a MxPx shirt...a punk rock band, and the bass player in the band now Matt said, "Hey, I like that t shirt. My mom wouldn't let me go to the show." He said, "Oh yeah, you sing right? Maybe we can play together." So, we started Chiodos like 2 weeks later. And, that was it. First band that I started and we actually went by different names. The first name was All Time Low which is kind of funny, and then Second Chance, and then the Chiodos Bros. was the third one.
Q: What made you guys drop the name the Chiodos Bros and change it permanently to Chiodos?
A: Actually, it's the reason that our record label signed us initially...they didn't listen to us. The A&R said it was the worst band name he had ever seen, so he wanted to check it out [our music]. And he ended up loving it, and we decided to sign with Equal Vision. A couple of members left, and we decided to make an evolution of the band. We took out the "Bros" and took out the "The" and just went with Chiodos.
Q: Who's your favorite band to tour with?
A: To tour with?...Ahh that's a tough question. That's a really good question. The thing is there's so many cool people that you meet. There's this band called Less Than Jake. There like the nicest dudes in the world. I love just being around them, and I love watching them perform. There's this band called The Color Morale. They're like the best dudes. I love the guys in The Word Alive. You meet so many cool people, and it's even less about bands I want to watch and more about people I want to hang out with.
Q: Favorite song to perform off of your new album Devil?
A: Right now, 3am for me. 3am because I think life hands you a lot of things, and it takes a lot to get up and really be the best you can. Sometimes it's hard and that's what 3am is about. Its a real reflection of myself...gives me a chance to look in the mirror and be completely honest. Every time I play that song, I feel like I get a little more confident...a little stronger with who I am.
Q: Is there some sort of ritual you guys do before every show?
A: Yeah, I pray before every show. It was like 2 years ago I started doing that, and I have to before every show to get centered. Most of all, to like laugh a little bit, and to be thankful and to really look at what I have as opposed to being swept up in the craziness of it all. So, I pray, and we get together and all of us put our hands on top of each other...and someone gives a little pep talk, count down to 3, and we say Chiodos.
Q: Is there any specific cause that resonates with you?
A: I've been through so much in my life. I grew up in a really emotionally and physically abusive home and that really resonates with me a lot. That makes me want to reach out to people that go through their life not thinking they're good enough because of the way that they were treated. That really resonates with me. I think a lot of it would have to do with self-esteem. Anything I can do to help out... Any sort of lifting people up and letting them [people] appreciate themselves. It's so many little things, addiction, depression, anxiety, all these things formulate from that and I can relate because I went through them. So yeah something to do with self-esteem.
Q: What's your favorite venue to play at?
A: It changes through the years. I really love Chain Reaction in Anaheim because it's really intimate and everybody sings every word. There's no ego, and there's no barricade. It's just like honest rock and you sweat so much. So no one's worried about looking good. I love Chain Reaction.
Special thanks to Craig Owens and his team for participating in our Skully Serves Teen Interviews, Scout, and our teens Grayson, Adrian, and Jessica! You guys did an amazing job preparing and interviewing! Forever Grateful
<3 Martese
<3 Martese
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